I just found out I am diagnosed with Breast or Ovarian Cancer…Where do I begin?

Being diagnosed with cancer can be overwhelming and emotional! Oh my Gosh…I am going to lose one or both of my breasts or some part of my body! Where do I go from here?? According to the World Health Organization’s Media Centre updated February 2014, cancers in general is among the leading causes of deaths worldwide and Breast, Lung, Liver, Stomach and Colorectal cancers cause the most deaths yearly.

We found and reviewed two innovative sites that offer so much love in what they have to offer. They embrace you as part of their family and provide a wealth of information, resources, cancer gear and opportunities for connecting.

CureDiva.com was formed because 2 breast cancer survivors, Efrat Roman and Tori Riegler came together to fulfill a need that was not met anywhere, an online shopping mall that is a 1-stop shop offering a wide variety of products at every stage of breast cancer treatment and a community to engage and embrace cancer patients that do not have to go through this alone. CureDiva’s mission is to help women facing breast cancer better their lives with style. Their business model boasts style and flair and gives women that boost of confidence – something that they need especially in this time.

The site is simple and easy to navigate through where customers can shop by Product Type or every stage of breast cancer Treatment including Just Diagnosed, Surgery, Chemo, Radiotherapy, Hormone Therapy and Ever After. When customers buy products, they have the opportunity to recommend products, share their experiences and tips and connect with a Guardian Diva, a fellow female who is also affected by breast cancer. In creating their community environment, they have built a transparent platform where the hard and soft topics are discussed and everything imaginable that a woman goes through is discussed. There are also forums that provide helpful tips, do’s and don’ts and if you have been affected by breast cancer and can provide a useful service to their community of visitors, they provide avenues for vendors, Guardian Divas, Social Media experts, Panel Bloggers and Style Experts to be a part of their savvy and supportive community.

SHARE was formed when a group of 12 women showed up to its first support group at the invitation of Dr. Eugene Thiessen, a doctor specializing in breast cancer in 1976. The group became a non-profit in 1978 and has expanded to provide an avenue of support to women and men who needed help with this disease. Their programs include outreach efforts, hotlines for support and educational programs and through this journey has even become an advocate for legislation and greater funding to be allocated to fight breast cancer. It has expanded its ethnic boundaries and LatinaSHARE was formed in the late 1980s providing support and information in Spanish to the Hispanic community. In 1995, they expanded to include support for women dealing with ovarian cancer.

SHARE members are very involved in the communities they touch and have even reached out to Corporations hosting Pink and Teal seminars to spread awareness about these two types of cancers and help encourage employees to be proactive about their health. They also offer an educational program called “Side by Side” that improves communication between patients and their healthcare providers. Survivor Patient Navigators act immediately once you have shared that you have been diagnosed with breast cancer and immediate attention and support are given in breast cancer clinics.

These two organizations offer a lot of love, support and trust to a vulnerable and emotional community of women and men that need daily doses of care. We love their missions and what they are about and with an active social media presence, they are changing lives one at a time!

Have you found any great sites of your own? We would love to hear about them.